Editorial: State lawmakers must get serious on ethics reform

7:51 PM,
May 8, 2013

State Sen. Jose Peralta, D-East Elmhurst, left, and Sen. Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, seen here on Monday in Albany, were both named Wednesday as among the officials secretly recorded by ex-Sen. Shirley Huntley, who has been convicted of corruption. Huntley wore a wire for the FBI and federal prosecutors. Smith has already been accused of trying to bribe his way onto the GOP's New York City mayoral ballot.

Written by

| A Journal News editorial

It was called a "public hearing," but this week's Senate committee hearing on campaign finance reform was anything but. It was invitation only. Behind closed doors. In a small room. It wasn't even pretending to reform.

The public likely was not distracted by Tuesday's show, such as it was. On Wednesday, court documents revealed the names of six Senate Democrats - including Ruth Hassell-Thompson of Mount Vernon - who were among the nine individuals secretly recorded by informant ex-Sen. Shirley Huntley, D-Queens, who faces sentencing Thursday for public corruption.